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Consumer Engagement with Interactive TV Guides on the Rise, Rovi Data Shows30 May, 2012 By: Jackie Jones
BOSTON – Consumers continue to be more and more dependent on interactive programming guides (IPG), according to new data from Rovi Corp.
Rovi’s set-top-box data from a sample of millions of devices running Rovi IPG products and technologies showed that 94 percent of homes now visit the TV listings grid on a weekly basis, while TV Guide users on average visit the listings grid 15 times a day and interact with it for 16 minutes total. In addition, usage statistics revealed that one-third of all TV viewing time is a result of choices made from the TV Guide, according to Rovi.
“The latest usage figures underline the importance of the Guide in helping consumers search and discover great TV entertainment,” said Jeff Siegel, senior vice president of worldwide advertising at Rovi. “Through the Rovi Advertising Networking, we’ve been able to allow networks to tap into this uncluttered environment, stand out from the broad range of content choices now available to consumers, and engage a receptive audience while they are in decision-making mode. With the recent advances we’ve made to the ad network, we can provide the scale, measurement and engagement that entertainment programmers, as well as conventional brands, need to deliver targeted, highly customized TV campaigns with far greater accountability.”
In another recent survey from Rovi, connected television was found to drive higher engagement between consumers and brands, further driving home the need for marketers to hone in on advanced television advertising strategies (Response This Week, May 2).
“We are on a constant mission to further understand the in-home family dynamic as it relates to changing entertainment consumption habits, and to better acquaint ourselves with consumers’ preferences and engagement levels with interactive advertising,” Siegel said. “As our survey findings help reinforce, advanced TV advertising provides new opportunities for brands to efficiently and effectively reach consumers in the living room.”


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Search results for "electric motorcycles"
Grab Introduces Electric Fleet at Soekarno-Hatta Airport
... called GrabCar Electric, comprises 20 Hyundai Ioniq Electric cars, a ... , Grab launched the Electric Vehicle Ecosystem Roadmap in ... both of which manufacture electric motorcycles in Indonesia. Sung Jong ... one featured in] Ioniq Electric," Sung said. Transportation ...
27 Jan 2020 | 04:41 PM
Two Million Electric Motorcycles to Roll Off Production Line by 2025
... government is expecting two million electric motorcycles to roll off the local ... 2 million units, to be electric motorcycles," Agus said. President Jokowi issued ... transportation. Under the regulation, electric cars and motorcycles will be eligible for ...
29 Nov 2019 | 05:38 PM
Jakarta Says No to Grab's, Gojek's Odd-Even Appeal
... rule does not apply to motorcycles, electric cars or disabled motorists. In ...
03 Sep 2019 | 08:01 PM
Jakarta Expands Odd-Even Policy but Exempts Motorbikes, Electric Cars
... of electric vehicles from this policy," Syafrin said, adding that motorcycles would ... . An MTI study showed that motorcycles account for about three-quarters ... said. The Jakarta administration included motorcycles in the odd-even policy ...
08 Aug 2019 | 12:02 PM
Indonesia's First Locally Produced Electric Bike Turns Heads at IIMS 2019
... The first Indonesian-made electric motorcycle turned heads on ... motorcycles in Indonesia every year but only recently introduced electric ... local automotive industry, especially electric vehicles. The government ... 2.1 million electric motorcycles per year by 2025. ...
25 Apr 2019 | 05:49 PM
Italian Motorcycle Makers Tease Indonesian Enthusiasts With New Models
... also launching a new electric scooter, the Elettrica. The ... Indonesia's imports of motorcycles, spare parts and accessories ... officials of collecting luxury motorcycles over the past few ... market in Indonesia. Italian motorcycles and accessories, for example, ...
12 Nov 2018 | 11:37 PM
Gaikindo International Auto Show Opens With New Industry-Changing Technologies
... is the widespread phenomenon of electric cars. This phenomenon began ... are already committed to developing electric cars, and will ban ... Honda, also introduced their electric-car concepts and the latest ... cars, and eight new motorcycles will be launched at GIIAS ...
03 Aug 2018 | 03:21 PM
Solidiance and Go-Jek Study Feasibility of Electric Bikes in Indonesia
... study on the viability of electric motorcycles as a mode of transportation ... main purpose of measuring e-motorcycles' cost efficiency in comparison to ... believes that innovation in e-motorcycles could be one of the ... of 2.1 million e-motorcycles on the road by 2025 ...
21 Jul 2018 | 11:12 AM
Cheap Rides at Risk in Drive to Clean Up Southeast Asia Streets
... this year began rolling out electric vans, which officials say will ... year lifted a ban on motorcycles on Jakarta's main thoroughfares ... has vowed to ban all motorcycles by 2030 to unclog its ...
26 May 2018 | 03:00 PM
Government to Offer Incentives to Low-Cost Emission Vehicle Manufacturers
... demand in the near future. Electric Motorcycles Indonesian Motorcycle Industry Association ( ... government's effort to develop electric motorcycles in Indonesia. Currently, AISI ... said. Loman added that electric motorcycles may potentially disrupt the national ...
14 Nov 2017 | 07:52 PM
Pompeo to Visit Indonesia Next Week
Over 300,000 Covid Patients Have Recovered in Indonesia
Expert Warns Against Fast-Tracking of Covid Vaccination
Public Investors Face Stock Dilution in Indonesia's Islamic Banks Merger
Where's the Demand?: Jokowi Wants Ministries, Regions to Speed Up Stimulus Spending
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FRA pulls the brakes on Egytrans, Paradigm Logistics partnership
EgyTrans is once again happy with an acquisition offer from HA Utilities BV, after a separate, higher bid that had prompted it to rethink the sale was challenged by the Financial Regulatory Authority. The authority slammed the offer by Paradigm Logistics in a regulatory filing (pdf) today, saying the company has no grounds to propose to swap its 72% stake in shipping company Ostool, in exchange for new shares in EgyTrans. Paradigm apparently never completed its purchase of 72% stake, as it has yet to buy the 62.3% of Ostoul from Raya Holding. Paradigm and Raya still need to meet conditions outlined in a sale contract by no later than 31 March 2022.
Following the FRA’s statement, EgyTrans said it’s no longer considering Paradigm’s offer, and will instead turn to ongoing talks with HA Utilities BV, a Netherlands-based subsidiary of HA Utilities, to acquire a 65% stake in EgyTrans via a reverse merger, according to a separate filing (pdf).
Why did Paradigm’s offer prompt EgyTrans to pay less attention to HA Utilities anyway? Paradigm valued EgyTrans’ shares at EGP 460 mn, which was higher than the EGP 414 mn proposed in a fair value report attached to HA Utilities’ bid.
Background: Egytrans had accepted in March an offer from HAUH to acquire a controlling stake in the company. The transaction took a step closer this week, when the final fair value reports for both companies were finalized by Grant Thornton.
CORRECTION: This story was amended on Tuesday, 1 June 2021 to reflect that Ostool is a shipping company, not a shopping company. Autocorrect is never there for you when you most ducking need it.


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Tokyo — Toyota Motor Corporation reduced its annual production target by 300,000 units on Friday. This is because the increase in COVID-19 infection has slowed production at parts plants in Vietnam and Malaysia, exacerbating the global shortage of automotive chips.
“It’s a combination of coronavirus and semiconductors, but at the moment it’s the coronavirus that has the overwhelming impact,” said Kazunari Kumakura, executive of the world’s largest automaker, after the company revised its production targets. rice field.
Toyota, unlike other major global automakers that were previously forced to reduce production plans, has key components along its supply chain strengthened against the turmoil following the 2011 catastrophic earthquake in northeastern Japan. Because it was stocked, we were able to avoid reducing production.
The announcement by Japanese automakers on Friday is that no part of the global auto industry has been spared the effects of a pandemic that has lost sales and hindered its ability to take advantage of the recovery in demand following the first wave of COVID. It’s a further sign that it’s not. -19.
China’s car sales in August fell by about one-fifth year-on-year due to fewer vehicles purchased.
Toyota currently expects to produce 9 million vehicles in the year to March 31, instead of 9.3 million. It did not revise its forecast for operating profit of 2.5 trillion yen ($ 22.7 billion) for the current fiscal year.
Toyota announced on Friday that it would cut production worldwide by 360,000 in September, plus another 70,000 this month and 330,000 in October. We hope to make up for some of the production lost by the end of the year.
Demand for chips surged during the pandemic as consumer electronics companies rushed to meet the home demand for smartphones, tablets and other devices.
Reliance on Southeast Asian factories for parts is a headache for Toyota, but it is also a problem for rivals who are struggling to describe Volkswagen AG as a “very unstable and tight” chip supply. ..
German automakers have warned that production may need to be further reduced as a result. Ford Motor Co. last month shut down production at its Kansas plant, which manufactures the best-selling F-150 pickups due to parts supply issues, and Renault SA in France extended a partial outage at its Spanish plant.
German luxury car maker Daimler said this month that chip shortages are expected to significantly reduce third-quarter sales.
($ 1 = 109.9200 yen)


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"The Department of Justice will not allow darknet markets and Telegram channel to get our Evening Alerts and breaking news highlights. At the time of writing, cryptoforensic firm CipherTrace has reported that it has been monitoring over 25 active darknet markets. Using these darknet markets is risky business. up for The Conversation's newsletter and get expert takes on today's news, every day.. A Joint Criminal Opioid and Darknet Enforcement (JCODE) Although darknet markets offer investigators ways in, it isn't easy. I compile a dataset of 87 public English-language darknet markets (DNMs) Dead date is based on the February news notice There are problems with payment. The primary markets , compared with the 1 The dark net losses of 142 Corn values have started downward the last and crop news was ignored in July 20.
At the time of writing, crypto forensic firm CipherTrace has reported that it has been monitoring over 25 active darknet markets. The world's largest darknet marketplace, DarkMarket, was shut down Bitcoin Magazine: Bitcoin News, Articles, Charts, and Guides home. Everything with the topic 'darknet' on VICE. darknet market news. World News Darknet Drug Markets alphabay market url Continued Their March to Dominance in 2022. If you purchase via links on our site, we may receive affiliate commissions. Home News. Russia-linked Hydra, the world's largest darknet. Reddit darknet market noobs best darknet market for weed. Remaining Darknet Markets Fill The Void (Again) - Bitcoin Magazine: Bitcoin News, Articles. Get the latest news, expert insights and market research, enabling nearly 80 of all darknet market-related cryptocurrency transactions.
The administrators of the small marketplace for drugs called Tochka while the commission in Valhalla ranges from 2-5 percent (Dark Web News, 2022). Available : News-and-media/News/2022/N2022-080, Accessed 28 February 2022, 10. Zykov K., ATM malware is being sold on Darknet market. Dark web takedowns by cross-border law enforcement operations have a the impact of law enforcement seizures and darknet market closures. Upon shutting the servers of "the world's largest illegal Darknet Home Crypto News Germany Halts Russian Darknet Marketplace Hydra. "This is the largest dark net marketplace takedown in history," Attorney General Jeff Sessions said alphabay market link in remarks prepared for a news. DarkRebel News. 20 likes. News related to the dark web, privacy, and anonymity. CannaHome is a darknet market that exclusively sells cannabis products.
The Indian Express website has been rated GREEN for its credibility and trustworthiness by Newsguard, a global service that rates news sources. Markets. A pre-markets primer packed with news, trends and ideas. Plus, up-to-the-minute market data. Back then, we reported this was significant news because: At the time, the dark web had fallen victim to a major DDoS. This made browsing. Available : News-and-media/News/2022/N2022-080, Accessed 28 February 2022, 10. Zykov K., ATM malware is being sold on Darknet market. Have taken down Russian-language illegal darknet marketplace Hydra, The Barron's news department was not involved in the creation of. He covers a wide variety of news topics, including consumer devices, the PC industry, darknet market news cybersecurity, online communities, and gaming. Please send.
"This is the largest dark net marketplace takedown in history," Attorney General Jeff Sessions said in remarks prepared for a news. I compile a dataset of 87 public English-language darknet markets (DNMs) Dead date is based on the February news notice There are problems with payment. Dark web takedowns by cross-border law enforcement operations have a the impact of law enforcement seizures and darknet market closures. Hydra Market, a major marketplace on the dark web, has been taken down as part of an Get the latest news from DIGIT direct to your inbox. By A Bracci 2022 Cited by 18 In particular, dark web marketplaces (DWMs), commercial websites /news/eu-drug-markets-impact-of-covid-19 Accessed August 2, 2022. Alexander Culafi, News Writer When it comes to the darknet markets, there is some diversity (some stick to things like marijuana or psychedelics while.
Torrez Market Darknet
The search engine results include the darknet market news vendor's name and location and the price of the product. But the clinic’s biggest export, it seems, is a little bit of human kindness. Pemilik pasaran Evolusi dilaporkan melarikan lebih dari $12 juta (RM48 juta) dalam bentuk Bitcoins. RAYZEEK is a ISO9001 certificated factory, founded in 2014, so far, has been committed to the LED lighting application products development, production, sales and engineering design. Pinjuh, chief of the organized crime task force in the U. They claim to break the third key by a statistical attack. The website offers a built-in market, where you can easily place an order for your product or service. Wenn Du diesen Punkt überwunden hast, kannst Du dich auf die Suche nach den heißesten Strains, den neuesten Konzentraten oder anderen leckeren Cannabis-Produkten machen. He says most of the sites on the regular internet, which the Senate report focused on, are scams in which dealers will take money and fail to deliver. Many of those links are defunct, and even more of them link to scams or potentially illegal activities.


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French luxury group Kering reported its sales hit harder than expected by the Covid-19 pandemic in the first quarter of 2020, as stores shuttered and travel restricted.
SEE ALSO : Kering announces 2019 full-year report
François-Henri Pinault, Chairman and Chief Executive Officer of Kering, said the quarter was marked by strong disparities, with:
- an good start to the year in January, before the epidemic began to spread;
- a contrasting month of February, reflecting store closures in Asia-Pacific;
- a sharply deteriorating situation in March, due to the gradual closure of stores across Europe and the United States, the halt in tourism, and the partial closure of production and logistics facilities towards the end of the quarter.
Kering posted revenue of €3,203.2 million (US$3474.99 million) in the first quarter of 2020, down 15.4% as reported and 16.4% on a comparable basis; however, during March, Kering began to see encouraging signs in Mainland China with the reopening of most of its stores. It is also found that there is a sharp rise by 21.1% in e-commerce for all houses in the quarter.
Gucci was deeply impacted by Covid-19, despite excellent trends early in the quarter. Gucci posted revenue of €1,804.1 million (US$1957.18 million) in the first quarter of 2020, down 22.4% as reported and 23.2% on a comparable basis. Sales from directly operated stores fell 23.8% against an extremely high first-quarter 2019 comparison basis.
Gucci had an excellent start to the year, with double-digit growth in North America in the first two months of the year and another sparkling performance in Western Europe. However, activity levels were hit hard from February onwards due to the House’s strong positions in Asia-Pacific and among Chinese tourists worldwide. Trends in Mainland China are gradually improving since stores began reopening in early March.
Yves Saint Laurent’s geographic footprint helped mitigate the market impact. Yves Saint Laurent reported revenue of €434.6 million (US$471.48 million) in the first quarter of 2020 with down 12.6% as reported and 13.8% on a comparable basis. This relatively contained decrease can be attributed to the house’s limited exposure to the Asian markets, as well as a good start to the quarter in Western Europe and North America. Retail sales in the directly operated store network were down 17.6% on a comparable basis, while wholesale dropped 5.7%.
Bottega Veneta posted a remarkable performance in the first three months of the year, with revenue up 10.3% as reported and 8.5% on a comparable basis, to €273.7 million (US$296.92 million). Retail sales in directly operated stores remained broadly unchanged (down 0.9%) despite the exceptionally unfavorable market context. The house’s collections met with resounding success among local customers in North America (up 31.3%) and Western Europe (up 25.4%), but sales were down in Asia-Pacific and Japan. Wholesale was up a strong 55.1%.
“My confidence in Kering’s future lies in the strength and values of our Houses, which will all emerge from this period of uncertainty at the top of their game, as well as in our ability to blend long-term vision with near-term imperatives,” said François-Henri Pinault, Chairman and Chief Executive Officer of Kering.


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SIOUX CITY (KTIV) – You’ve probably noticed new retail outlets in town: Crumbl Cookie, Boot Barn and Aldi, to name a few. We wanted to measure the overall business health of Sioux City, but accurate metrics are hard to come by.
KTIV spoke to representatives from the private sector, real estate sector and local government to get a sense of how Sioux City’s business is developing.
Think of it this way: every major retailer you can think of has been on hiatus during the COVID-19 pandemic. But now that we’re on the reverse side of the pandemic, all these businesses are rushing in and claiming any available retail space that’s not yet occupied.
For now, that’s good news for business in Sioux City. New stores like Crumbl Cookies, HOTWORX and Fazoli’s offer consumers more options than before the pandemic, says Chris Bogenrief.
“However, I would say that the overall health of our local economy is quite strong and has remained fairly resilient throughout the pandemic,” said Chris Bogenrief, president of NAI United, a commercial real estate company.
The resurgence of retail outlets could soon hit the wall, due in large part to a lack of space.
“It’s just a backlog from the last two years that hasn’t been met and they’ve filled the vacancies. But what you haven’t seen is a lot of retail development because construction costs went through the roof due to supply chain issues,” Bogenrief said.
City officials say they don’t keep a list of active businesses, making it difficult to calculate how many businesses Sioux City has gained or lost. Officials say the city isn’t recruiting new businesses, but is trying to incentivize new developments.
“Yeah I think with the growth that’s happening here you’re going to see some new, some new shopping areas, they might look a little bit different, you know, they probably won’t be big malls. But you’re going to see some new developments over the next few years,” said Marty Dougherty, Sioux City’s director of economic development.
Crumbl Cookies is one of these new retailers. With 600 stores, they chose Sioux City for a new location that opened this September.
“Almost daily customers would come in and say come to Sioux City, come to Sioux City. So we came down and looked at the market. We liked the research we saw and we found a great location here next to Stone Bru and decided we couldn’t share it,” said Colby Wilson, Territory Manager of Crumbl Cookies.
Bogengrief says assessing the health of small businesses can be even more difficult. However, a study conducted by his company found that more businesses were actually opening their doors here in Sioux City during the pandemic than had to close.
Copyright 2022 KTIV. All rights reserved.


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A stable version of Google’s Microsoft rivalling operating system ‘Chrome OS’ is now available, fuelling huge rumours of the full version being unveiled at Google’s annual I/O conference in May.
It is thought that the operating system will be ‘lightweight’, as more and more tasks are completable online and do not require large amounts of desktop computing power. The operating system is currently being tested on ‘experimental’ laptops being distributed throughout America for free, however they are unbranded so as not to give away what the final Google OS machines will look like – although its reported that the caps lock will be replaced by a ‘search’ button.
Google has been keen to stress that the operating system will be closely integrated with the hardware it comes with, however the stable versions creation does hint that it will soon be ready for commercial sale and usage on different machines.
With Google dominating the search and seo market with its search engine, and the smartphone world with ‘android’, it would take a brave person to bet against them making big waves in the OS world too.
For more information regarding anything internet or Google related, please call the Web Development team on 0845 050 2045.


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One of the leading voices in the restrictive scheduling debate is Tim Ehlert, director of government relations for Buffalo Wild Wings. He joins the Align Public Strategies team this week to discuss the benefits of educating policymakers about the need for restaurants to keep scheduling flexible. Also on the podcast, what restaurant companies can learn from a major retailer's decision to pay bonuses to thousands of employees around the country.
Working Lunch: Buffalo Wild Wings and the scheduling debate
Plus, a major retailer pays bonuses to thousands of employees


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On this year's agenda, we’ve all been addressing the uncertainty brought upon us by COVID-19’s disruption of vital supply chains and its impact on the retail industry. The aftereffect of the pandemic may have predicted a 2022 holiday horror movie, with its factory shutdowns, shipping backlogs, and labor and inventory shortages all caused by a quarantined society and further hit by unexpected online consumer growth.
As retailers navigate through radical and unprecedented changes in the consumer landscape, GoGift, a market leader within the gifting space, finds that retailers can greatly benefit from the behavioral effect of choice eliciting equity in retail.
The beginning of this year came with geopolitical unrest and a trajectory of inflation, suggesting unstable markets, as fuel and energy prices surged and a lack of raw materials persisted. Yet, in a time of crisis, where consumers are supposedly holding back, gift cards are becoming the most requested gift, with 71% of consumers reporting a preference for multi-voucher gift cards. Gift cards have become a popular, economical, and flexible gift alternative helping the local shopping landscape survive.
As a business, whether online or physical, the biggest struggle is attracting new customers. Gift cards help draw in shoppers by driving top-of-mind brand awareness and affordable customer acquisition. Consumers with gift cards already have a paid-for reason to explore your offerings, and in a way, they feel like they are getting something for free. Why? Because they aren’t buying something, they are choosing a gift. Retailers can significantly profit from gift card sales.
For retailers, macroeconomic factors triggered a cut in supplies, expecting demand to decrease, but instead, e-commerce skyrocketed, and retailers responded by increasing inventory. Despite the increase, stockouts continued due to supply chain issues. Brick-and-mortar shops were hit the hardest, while online shops grew exponentially. The current consumer trajectory predicts more hardships within supply chains, and with this pressure, consumers are more likely to opt for a gift card when items are out-of-stock.
The National Retail Federation states that “total gift card spending is expected to reach $28.6 billion, compared with $28.1 billion in 2021. Similar to last year, holiday shoppers plan to purchase between three to four gift cards and spend an average of $51.47 per card ($165.87 per person).” GoGift saw this as a well-appointed opportunity to hit the retail market with their “Super Gift Card” at some of the largest Scandinavian retailers. Although retailers can’t guarantee gift-card revenue until the gift card is redeemed, with 20 years in the gifting industry, GoGift’s data showcases that most gift cards tend to be redeemed within three months of purchase. For retailers, this means money is directly transferred into retail, further creating equity for the business. For brick-and-mortar, the freedom of choice involved with a multi-branded gift card allows for an influx of support for local shopping as the “Super Gift Card” can be redeemed into various local restaurants, experience providers, and local shops.
GoGift encourages retailers to take advantage of the added value gift cards can provide, considering shoppers often spend more than what their gift card is worth. Research shows that up to 90% of consumers are willing to pay more than the dollar amount on a gift card. This makes gift cards the perfect tool to engage shoppers and buy something they’ve been eyeing at what they perceive as a discount since they already have a partial payment.
With GoGift, gift-giving is convenient, as the physical arrival of their multi-brand gift cards allows recipients to choose from thousands of brands wherever they live. GoGift still strives to encourage digital gift card purchases as a sustainable alternative to physical cards, but studies show that 90% of consumers consider physical gift cards more appropriate for gifting.
Retailers laden with a looming recession can now depend on gift cards for anything from returns to warranties and even replacements for out-of-stock items. Gift cards open the door to business growth, setting up a buffet of options for a new customer base and helping take advantage of seasonal shopping patterns.
As we count down to 2023, unknowing what the future has in store, GoGift makes gifting a whole lot easier, helping local and global retailers combat crises with the perfect gift: the one you get to choose.
Since 2003, GoGift has been optimizing the gift card market, providing innovative gifting solutions to more than 15,000 businesses worldwide. For any global gifting, reward, or incentive need, GoGift's got you covered. Learn more at global.gogift.com.


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Max Clifford engineered the original Grand Theft Auto controversy
After 15 years the men behind the original Grand Theft Auto have revealed that the controversy surrounding the first game was manufactured.
Mike Dailly, co-creator of the series, confessed that British publicist Max Clifford engineered the whole thing so that MPs would take notice of the game's controversial content.
"Max Clifford made it all happen. He told us how he would play it, who he would target, what those people targeted would say," Dailly said.
The game's other co-creator, Dave Jones added in their defence, "We knew why every decision was made, and we were never, ever influenced by 'let's do something to create a bit of controversy'. We always did everything from the perspective of what's going to be the most fun. It just naturally kept pushing us down the darker direction."
Thanks The Sunday Times.
- Felicia Day breaks her silence about #Gamergate, is almost immediately doxxed
- Ubisoft announces PC specs for Assassin's Creed: Unity and they're killer
- Dark Souls 2 could see a fourth pack of DLC released
- Far Cry 4 is all about player choice, has five endings
- Call Of Duty: Advanced Warfare PC system specifications announced
- Evolution adds more multiplayer events to Driveclub as they continue to work on the game's server issues
- Rockstar announces a San Andreas 10th Anniversary event this weekend for GTA Online
- Dead Or Alive 5: Last Round gets a release date
- Unfinished Swan to hit the PS4 and PS Vita next week


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KellyDeli, owner of the international sushi franchise Sushi Daily, has donated 30,000 products to charitable food distributor FareShare.
The products included Roasted Edamame, Wasabi Peanuts & Chilli Rice Crackers. This is the franchise’s third food waste initiative after introducing end-of-day price reductions in 2019 and its ‘Forgotten Ends’ product, in partnership with Action Against Hunger, earlier this year.
KellyDeli’s UK managing director Ian Roberts commented: “We are acutely aware of the amount of people in need in the UK and we wanted to do our bit to help. We’ve been looking at our stock and assessing how much we could donate, and we’re delighted to have been able to part with so much.
“We chose FareShare as it takes good quality surplus food to almost 11,000 charities and community groups, so our delicious Japanese snacks will be available across the country. This donation is part of our wider business strategy to engage our customers and employees in the fight to end hunger.”
The stock was redistributed through FareShare’s network of charities and community groups such as homeless hostels, domestic violence refuges, food banks and hospices. The organisations they supply food to are places that provide life changing support, as well as lunch and dinner.
FareShare commercial director Alyson Walsh said: “A big thank you to KellyDeli for their generous donation of 30,000 products which will go a long way to help us deliver food to our network of charities and community groups. During this crisis, support from our food partners is more important than ever in helping FareShare tackle food hunger across the UK.”
Sushi Daily also became the first sushi brand to unveil new 100 per cent recyclable and recycled packaging in January this year.
For more information, or to find your nearest Sushi Daily counter, please visit www.sushidaily.com.


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WRITING FROM SANTA ANA, CALIF. — She was shopping for cosmetics at a Thrifty Drug Store in Garden Grove, Calif. She looked over every shelf and easily selected Maybelline black mascara and a Flame Glo eyelash curler.
But when it came to makeup for her cheeks, Eusebia Pulido of Westminster, Calif., examined a Cover Girl blusher sealed in plastic, hesitated, then put it back.
``I don`t know what`s good for my color and my skin,`` Pulido said, referring to her medium-tone features. ``If they had makeup just for Hispanic women, I`d buy it.``
Pulido may soon get her wish.
Major cosmetics companies that once ignored the makeup needs of black, Hispanic, Asian and Middle Eastern women are starting to pay attention.
Manufacturers see huge potential for profit in minority women, said Cornelia Stanek, consultant at Klein & Co. Inc., a New Jersey consulting firm specializing in the cosmetics industry. They hope to achieve this by offering new shades, removing ingredients that cause chalkiness on dark skin and using different packaging.
Who`s doing what
In April, Maybelline Inc. introduced Shades of You, which it touts as ``a new line of cosmetics for women of color.`` The makeup, priced from $3.35 to $5.50, is available at some drugstores, including some Walgreens and Osco drugstores in the Chicago area. Maybelline has set up a toll-free phone number for customer to call to find out which stores in their area
currently are carrying the line. The number is 1-800-282-7423.
And Almay, another well-known drugstore brand, is launching a cosmetics line for black and Hispanic women in late October, said Cynthia Stremba, senior director of marketing.
Prescriptives, a department-store cosmetics line, will expand its foundation from 65 to 115 shades in a project called Prescriptives All Skins in October, said Anne Michaelson, public relations coordinator.
Although Maybelline`s Shades of You is not the first line of cosmetics for minority women, it may be the first time a large cosmetics company that traditionally caters to white customers has addressed the lack of makeup for minority women.
That chalky look
Maybelline spent three years studying black women, Desmarais said. ``What we were hearing from these women was (that) they were not pleased with the quality of products at the mass level,`` she said.
The differences between cosmetics for white and minority women are real, Stanek said.
``Typical white-customer makeup ingredients, such as titanium dioxide, produce a chalky look on black skin,`` she said. ``Ethnic makeup contains little of this.``
Desmarais and Stremba emphasize that their new ethnic makeups have smaller amounts of titanium dioxide and have heavier pigments of red, yellow, blue and black to produce deeper, richer colors.
Get the red out
Other experts contend that while mass-level cosmetics companies are paying attention to the needs of black women, they haven`t been as swift to cater to Asian and Hispanic women.
``Many of (the) foundation and powder colors in mass-market cosmetics look like raw hamburger meat,`` said Johnny Hernandez, a Los Angeles-based Mexican-American makeup artist who has made up models of various ethnic backgrounds for fashion magazines.
``A lot of bases have too much red in them. Most Asians and Hispanics need bases with yellow undertones.``
Hernandez and Apanasewicz recommmend pricier department store brands such as Visage Beaute and Prescriptives for foundation and powder because these can be custom-blended to match a woman`s complexion.


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CLEARWATER — Macy’s Clearwater call center jobs have shifted to remote work permanently, according to an internal email obtained by by the Tampa Bay Times.
As a result, the retailer told workers in an email it may explore a sale or lease of its building, or portions of it, at 13133 34th Street N.
Macy’s declined to comment on any possible sale but said “we have great talent and important functions in our Clearwater location.”
Call center employees had worked in the office to handle customer service and store credit card calls. Macy’s wrote in its email the office will still be available to other teams as needed. Overall, the retailer told employees that it will continue to have a mix of “virtual and on-site work” as part of its culture beyond the pandemic.
“Considering that we have a much smaller occupancy rate in the building, balanced with the need to house those colleagues who will continue to work on-site, we are looking at options which could include a sale or lease of all or portions of our space. No plans or timing have been confirmed as we are in the early stages of planning. We would only enter into a transaction when the market conditions are right to do so,” Macy’s wrote in the email.
Macy’s reported year-over-year loses of 36 percent last month. Like other retailers forced to close at the start of the pandemic, Macy’s is still working to recoup its losses in what was already a difficult market for traditional department stores.


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Easily Get These 3 Face Masks Online If They’re Sold Out Everywhere Else
The UAE Attorney General released a resolution following the cabinet decision last week to deter the spread of the novel coronavirus (Covid-19).
In the list of sanctions, it has been made COMPULSORY for individuals suffering from chronic diseases, and those showing cold and flu symptoms, to wear medical MASKS indoors and when using public transportation or else they can be fined with AED1,000.
Hence, with many of the pharmacies around the UAE being sold out of medical masks and N95s, we have rounded up three mask options from Amazon. These effective masks will save you from an avoidable fine, plus keep those around you and yourself safe from contracting or spreading any kind of infection.
3. This pack of 50 breathable and disposable medical masks come with three layers of protection against the harmful bacteria and dust in the air
Buy the pack of 50 masks from Amazon for AED 98.50 (down from AED 151.49).
2. Or you can get 20 pieces of the highly-recommended and super-efficient N95 face masks that can effectively filter more than 95% of fine particles contaminating the air
Buy a pack of 20 from Amazon for AED 156.99.
1. The KN95 face mask comes with breath-valve filter design, an adjustable nose clip and with multi-layer protection!!
Buy a pack of 10 from Amazon for AED 118.90.


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Grand Theft Auto V Online will have exclusive content on next-generation platforms. It was previously announced at the PS5 reveal event that GTA V and a standalone version of GTA Online will be coming to next-gen, sometime in the second half of 2021.
During the latest financial earnings call for Take Two, Rockstar’s parent company, the company said that the next generation version of GTA Online will have “additional content exclusive to the new consoles and PC.” No further details were given about the content during the call, but the new content coming in 2021 shows Rockstar’s commitment to GTA V and GTA Online.
The next-gen versions of GTA V and the standalone GTA Online will feature a slew of technical improvements, visual upgrades, and performance enhancements that will take advantage of the new consoles. Take-Two president Karl Slatoff said that the improvements will include making a “more responsive” version of the game. All of this information was a reiteration of the company’s previous announcement about the next-gen version of GTA V and GTA Online.


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Dane County Small Business Awards: Grakei Maids’ tidy approach to retention
When explaining her company’s success, Laura Barnard, owner and director of operations for Grakei Maids LLC, cites a fateful decision she made at the company’s inception.
Unlike the gig economy and its need for 1099 workers, Barnard chose to create a W-2 business model and structure, which has not only helped Grakei Maids sustain a few bumps along the way, but also protects its employees through employer contributions to unemployment and workers’ compensation insurance.
The result of taking care of the people who are the backbone of her company has been consistent growth, interrupted only by the COVID-19 pandemic, but it’s not the only reason why the woman and minority-owned business impressed Dane County Small Business Award judges. Grakei Maids is one of five companies to win a 2022 Dane County Small Business Award, and it was selected by a judging panel of past award winners that evaluated each nominee on revenue growth since inception, the benefit package provided to employees, and community contributions.
Grakei Maids started in 2008 as a solo cleaner operation and was established in 2011 as an LLC with employees. The Argentinean-born Barnard, a naturalized U.S. citizen, has built the company into a trusted cleaning business specializing in home and office cleaning. The company serves more than 340 clients a year and employs a staff of full-time and temporary cleaning technicians. Since becoming a limited liability company, Grakei Maids has generated $5.2 million in gross revenue, even with a 40% drop during the pandemic. Sales have rebounded in part because residential and business clients have an even better understanding of the health benefits of a disinfected workspace or house.
Providing company vehicles, bilingual support, and opportunities for professional growth are also key parts of Barnard’s employee retention strategy, but the employee-centric approach is augmented by an innovative benefits package. Perhaps the most extraordinary part of that package is that established team supervisors are allowed to use Grakei Maids’ LLC credentials to obtain additional clients and run their own cleaning business on the side.
Barnard, a 2020 40 Under 40 honoree by In Business magazine, realizes that it sounds risky to give her staff such access, but it has been proven that employees with a strong sense of ownership take more pride in their work. Her conviction is that such employees are more likely to take on projects that serve as a reflection of their business management abilities, not just their cleaning skills. So, as part of a mentorship package for employees in leadership roles, she provides resources to help them learn more aspects of the cleaning business and advance their careers.
“I am a strong believer that sense of ownership brings about many significant benefits for both companies and their workforce,” Barnard explains. “What prompted me to offer this benefit is that in recent years I’ve been invited by two local nonprofits to offer free seminars in Spanish to Latino entrepreneurs. Most of them happened to be janitors and personal maids who were interested in starting their own cleaning business. It’s always great to pass along some knowledge to new cleaning business owners.”
It’s also great to share the company’s good fortune with the community, as Grakei Maids has done by providing free cleaning services to patients undergoing cancer treatment in Dane County. To help local cancer patients, Grakei Maids teamed up with a nonprofit called Cleaning for a Reason, which formed in 2006 and recruits maid services to partner with it to clean homes at no charge for women undergoing cancer treatment throughout the United States and Canada.
The charity gives all its partners access to its database, and there they can accept new patients, schedule their cleanings, and track their service history. As of May 2022, Grakei Maids had served 50 patients and performed 145 free cleanings worth more than $20,000. “We joined Cleaning for a Reason in 2013 because we believe in its mission and wanted to extend our reach to include charitable cleans to households battling cancer in our community,” Barnard says. “There’s a big need for that and Grakei Maids became the first company in Dane County to be among the Top 100 donors. We are very glad to have this platform for giving back to our community.”
The 2022 Dane County Small Business Award judges included Jon Konarske, publisher of In Business magazine, and past award winners Jeanne Carpenter, owner of Firefly Coffeehouse; Fatou Ceesay, owner and manager of Cairasu Home Care; and Jason Potter, CEO of Farwell.
While the award is not Grakei Maids’ first honor — in 2014, it earned a Latina-Owned Business of the Year Award presented by the Latino Chamber of Commerce of Dane County — the recognition by business peers is meaningful. “It validates the long hours and thoughts that went into starting and structuring the business,” Barnard says. “You hope you create something that will last, and this recognition indicates we are on the right path.”
Editor’s note: The public can network with this year’s winners at an award program and reception on Thursday, July 21, from 4 to 6:30 p.m., at the Overture Center for the Arts, 201 State St., Madison.
Tuesday, June 21: Impact Association Management
Thursday, June 23: Sign Art Studio
Tuesday, June 28: The Creative Company
Click here to sign up for the free IB Ezine — your twice-weekly resource for local business news, analysis, voices, and the names you need to know. If you are not already a subscriber to In Business magazine, be sure to sign up for our monthly print edition here.


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Many were shocked by the decision to keep the sensor size in the Panasonic LX7 small, but senior figures at the company have explained that customers should expect compromise.
Speaking to TechRadar, Ichiro Kitao, director of the Panasonic Imaging Network, said, "We have to think about the combination of cost, size and performance, and what is the best solution for the consumer.
"The tech is there, so we could make it if the customer accepts sky high prices and bulky sizes," he continued.
The Sony RX100, which features a one inch sensor, the same size as that found in the Nikon V1/J1 compact system camera, costs around £100 (around $150) more than the LX7, although it's roughly the same size.
"The sensor is newly developed, high sensitivity is improved, so you can get very good photos even from the smaller sensor. The balance is very important, that's what we considered when making this camera," Kitao continued.
More LX cameras?
"Maybe in the future we can study a bigger sensor compact camera," Panasonic's Mr Uematsu also added.
Last year, Panasonic said it was studying the idea of a larger sensor compact camera, but, for now at least, it seems to have put those plans on hold.
Mr Uematsu was also keen to point out that the smaller sensor means that a wider aperture can be used at the telephoto end of the zoom lens. On the LX7, f/2.3 can still be maintained, compared with the f/5.9 of the Sony RX100.
He believes that there are three solutions for compact cameras; a large sensor with a fixed length lens (such as the Fuji X100), a large sensor with a slow (small aperture) zoom (such as the Sony RX100) or a smaller sensor with a fast (wide aperture) zoom.
For the moment, Panasonic believes that the last solution offers the best compromise of image quality and price.
We spent some time with a pre-production model of the LX7 and were impressed by the quality of images outputted, we'll be looking forward to putting it further through its paces when a full sample comes in for testing.


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Dubizzle-owner OLX Group is set to merge its UAE, Pakistan, Egypt and Lebanon businesses with Bayut-owner EMPG.
OLX will also lead a $150 million investment round for EMPG, creating a unicorn company, a phrase used to refer to a privately held startup company valued at over $1 billion. OLX will retain a 39 percent share of the company, making it EMPG’s largest shareholder.
“We, at Bayut and EMPG, are very excited about the future of the UAE real estate industry and the prospects of real estate in the MENA region … At the same time, we will be making significant technology investments to provide more value to all users of property, automotive and other segments of the Dubizzle and OLX platforms,” Haider Ali Khan, Head of EMPG – MENA said in an emailed statement to Al Arabiya English.
EMPG in a statement said it would use the new capital to develop a range of new services and improve the user experience.
“I’m proud of what we have built in these four markets. Our brands are household names, and currently help tens of millions of people to exchange goods and services every month. The next phase is an exciting one, with EMPG’s real estate industry expertise helping deepen the customer experience,” said CEO of OLX Group Martin Scheepbouwer.
EMPG currently operates in the GCC with its Bayut platform, in Pakistan with Zameen, Bangladesh with Bproperty, Morocco and Tunisia with Mubawab, and Thailand with Kaidee. After the merger the company will operate OLX’s platforms in Pakistan, Saudi Arabia, Bahrain, Kuwait, Qatar, and Oman, and the dubizzle platform in the UAE, along with an expansion into Egypt and Lebanon.
Coronavirus plunges MENA startup appetite
The COVID-19 coronavirus has severely curtailed investor appetite for startup investment deals in the Middle East and North African (MENA) region, a report from startup data platform MAGNiTT showed earlier this month.
In 2019, the region experienced a blockbuster year, with total funding hitting $3.8 billion, headlined by ride-sharing platform Careem, which sold to Uber for $3.1 billion. Careem’s sale to Uber is the largest startup deal in the Middle East yet.
A survey conducted by MAGNiTT found that around 59 percent of startup founders have already had their business impacted by the coronavirus, with nearly half citing revenue generation as their major concern.
Over 40 percent expect lower-than-expected revenue growth rates in 2020, and 29 percent anticipate that their revenue will fall below 2019 figures.
Prior to the pandemic, MENA startups started 2020 very positively. Over the first quarter of 2020, including March, funding rose 2 percent year-on-year, with big funding rounds for Kitopi, a cloud kitchen platform, Vezeeta, an Egyptian online medical scheduling service, and SellAnyCar, a Middle East car buying service, leading the way.
These initial successes for the sector later slowed as the coronavirus took hold, prompting widespread business slowdown.


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United States to launch fight to end self-employed workers at Uber
The United States government led by Joe Biden will publish a labor standard that would bar companies like Uber from treating their workers as partners or freelancers and will be ready this week, an administration official told Reuters.
This change will be one of the most impactful rules ever made by the United States Department of Labor. The issue is complex in terms of legal regulations along with action plans and coming from the US it seems like it could set a precedent for other parts of the world.
Legal problems in regulation of partners and employees
The rule that would be approved in the United States would face a legal problem that we have already seen in other parts of the world: the divide between being an employee and the false self-employed workers offered by these transportation companies. Lines.
In this regard, Mark Friedman, vice president of the United States Chamber of Commerce, noted that the draft version of this standard still contains little guidance on how companies should draw the line between employees and contractors.
“Economic dependence is an elusive concept that in some cases can be defined by the eye of the beholder.”
There is no doubt that regulation of Uber etc. will have a worldwide impact, as the company is headquartered in the United States. And although there is consensus that it is necessary to regulate workers with all their rights, the challenges of knowing who is considered self-employed and who is not must be resolved in the coming months.


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The Galaxy Tab S 8.4 (pictured above) was one of last year's better Android tablets, mostly thanks to the inclusion of a Super AMOLED display that gave the iPad Mini something to worry about. There was also a 10.5-inch version of the Galaxy Tab S and now there's word that Samsung is working on an 8-inch variant of the Galaxy Tab S2, which would make it pretty much the same size as the iPad Mini. We've been hearing quite a bit about Samsung's new Galaxy Tab S2 line of tablets, including their purported specs. Samsung normally releases tablets after they've announced their latest Galaxy S Android smartphone, so we're expecting something from them sooner rather than later where these new tablets are concerned.
The import database for India, Zauba, has a listing dated March 12th for the "SAMPLE SAMSUNG TABLET PC,SM-T715 (S.S-8)(FOR TESTING & EVALUATION PURPOSE & WILL BE DESTROYED) (NOT FOR SALE)" which essentially means that somewhere, people are testing these devices in India. SamMobile is reporting that the SM-T715 model number is the 8-inch version of the Galaxy Tab S2 while the rumored 9.7-inch version has a model number of SM-T810. With sizes of 8.0-inches and 9.7-inches, this new line of Galaxy Tab S tablets sound like they could use the 4:3 aspect ratio, just like the Nexus 9 and the iPad.
As for specs, it appears like the Exynos 5433, 3GB of RAM and 32GB of storage we've heard previously could be inside these new tablets. A resolution of 2048 x 1536 is still rumored for these two devices, which is the same resolution of the Nexus 9 and could further point to a 4:3 aspect ratio. The Super AMOLED displays will be Samsung's focus point here, just as they were last year, and an 8-inch version would compete better with the iPad Mini and of course give users a little more portability compared to last year's 8.4-inch Galaxy Tab S. We'll have to wait and see whether or not Samsung has changed the design of their Galaxy Tab S line from last year, but it sounds like we won't have much longer to wait.


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TOKYO -- Capcom has one of the most impressive and highly trafficked booths at Tokyo Game Show. Even on Thursday, one of the "business days" before the show is opened to the public, lines to play the company's anticipated games were already stretching far.
The booth has tons of cool stuff to look at, like this statue of the main character from* Dead Rising*, hanging out in front of the line for the new Wii version.
More sights from Capcom's booth, below.
A few years ago, it would have been very silly to suggest to American gamers that in Japan, people line up to sit inside a fake legal office to play a videogame about being an attorney. Fortunately, the Phoenix Wright series has caught on here as well, and so now you all understand the appeal of Gyakuten Kenji, a new Nintendo DS game where you play as the prosecutor.
A life-size replica of the *Bionic Commando'*s superawesome bionic arm sits in front of that game's demo area. But this game is not nearly as popular as its next-door neighbor ...
...* Tatsunoko vs. Capcom* for Wii, which already had a huge line of people outside waiting to play the latest in the Versus series of fighting games. The only reason I didn't just get in line is because we have an appointment with Capcom tomorrow where we will get to enjoy all of the company's games at our leisure. The reps probably won't have one of those freebie calendars for us. Ah well.


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Momentum continues to grow in America behind the legalization of marijuana and the rise of cannabis drinks.
Fifteen states, plus Washington D.C., have now passed laws that permit recreational pot. It’s legal down the entire western seaboard. And the CBD category reached an estimated global market size of $9.3 billion in 2020. By 2025, forecasts have that market reaching $23.6 billion.
Accordingly, we have seen a rise in new products. Among these innovations, THC and CBD beverages have rapidly emerged as a leading contender for the next big industry trend. Why smoke or consume cannabis when you can simply sip it?
This thinking is why so many companies have recently launched THC/CBD beverages, or have new releases in the pipeline. Helping fuel this boom is better technology in the sector, particularly for cannabis emulsification. Modern consumer trends have also played a big role.
Talk with nearly anybody involved in cannabis beverages and you will repeatedly hear the word “functional.” Most of these products aim for an easy-to-understand functionality that ties into people’s daily lives. This mirrors a broader trend right now in beverages that are designed as organic, healthier-for-you, and/or supportive of sleep, energy, activity, etcetera.
For instance: Rhythm, a new line of CBD seltzers. These drinks are vegan, gluten-free, non-GMO, keto-friendly, low-calorie, zero-sugar and contain no artificial sweeteners. Aligning with the functionality trend, each of Rhythm’s three offerings sports a name that clearly explains their intended benefits: Recover, Awake and Dream.
“These products apply to people who are into performance, whether that’s athletics of sleep performance,” explains Ian Monat, Rhythm CEO and founder. “People are expecting more and more out of their beverages.”
Awake contains 15 mg of hemp extract with 50 mg of natural organic caffeine. This is a common blend in CBD beverages: caffeine and cannabis. It’s also a common source of misunderstanding among consumers, Monat says. People mistake the cannabis component as another source of energy (or anxiety), when it’s the opposite.
“The CBD clears the mind and then the caffeine comes in and energizes you,” Monat explains.
Another brand with functionality at its core is Alt. These small, resealable vials —either 5 or 10 mg — contain a clear liquid infused with THC or CBD. Each mg is clearly marked off along the side of the packaging. Consumers know exactly how much cannabis they ingest. This supports microdosing: taking a little bit throughout the day.
“Functionality is one of the main pillars of our focus,” says Alt Co-founder Robert B. Davis. “We’re passionate about precision dosing. We’re empowering people to find that right dosage of cannabis that can elevate and enhance their lives.”
The smaller size of the vials is also part of the functionality. Alt comes in packages of one or five, which can fit in a pocket or purse like a carton of cigarettes. And it’s easier to take Alt into venues that do not allow glass bottles or cans.
“It’s a discrete way to consume,” says Davis. “It’s looked on more favorably in a social setting. Smoking or eating edibles isn’t as social.”
Sociability is another major theme of cannabis beverages. Drinking is a social activity. The producers of these products aim for occasions when consumers would spend time with friends and family.
“People want functional beverages as well as alternatives to alcohol,” says Matt Johnston, co-founder and CEO of Collective Arts Brewing, a highly regarded Canadian craft brewery. “We want to make drinks that are great for anytime of the day.”
Collective Arts recently launched a CBD-infused sparkling cocktail-inspired drinks line called Collective Project. Initial flavors include Raspberry & Hibiscus Rooibos Tea; Mango, Pineapple & Coconut; Cucumber, Lemon & Lime; Lemon Pear & Schisandra Green Tea.
“People are looking for better-for-you products, and consumers have become experiential,” says Johnston. “The days of high-sugar sodas are gone. People are looking for something that can create a more interesting experience.”
This has led to an explosion in flavors for THC/CBD beverages. Launched last summer by K-Zen, Mad Lilly Spritzers is a cannabis-infused line that includes spritzers with all-natural fruit juices, sparkling water and low dose blend of THC and CBD. The three flavor options are Ginger Pear, Passion Fruit Mango and Raspberry Hibiscus.
“We’re creating a broader set of choice for consumers,” explains K-Zen CEO and Co- Founder Judy Yee. “It’s really important to allow the consumer to discover their preferred flavor, because right now this category is still a novelty to them.”
So who exactly is buying these products?
“It’s still a small base but I think these beverages tie into a number of demographics,” says Johnston of Collective Arts. “Gen Z and Millennials are looking for drinks that are social and alcohol alternatives. And there’s also Baby Boomers who drink for health reasons, becoming more health-conscious.”
Agreeing with him is Monat of Rhythm.
“The demo is quite broad, and mirrors consumers who are into healthy trends,” he says. “At retail Rhythm is typically placed next to kombucha, aloe juices and infused botanical drinks.”
Cannabis cocktails have also benefited from the rise in THC/CBD beverages. Whether it’s mixing cannabis into a mocktail (as Millennials drink less alcohol), or combining pot with alcohol for a different effect.
“The synergistic effect can be perfect if you can get it right,” says Davis of Alt. “But it’s important to ease into that, starting low, until you find that sweet spot.”
Better Technology for Cannabis Drinks
Improved technology in the past several years is another big reason for the boom in THC/CBD beverages.
Cannabis extracts are not naturally water-soluble. Blending THC or CBD into liquid is not a smooth permeation, and can cause inconsistent dosages. Also, the cannabinoids sometimes stick to the insides of aluminum cans.
However, technology behind the emulsification of marijuana has recently taken a large step forwards. Solubility is now more precise and even.
“The ability to make cannabinoids act as though they are water-soluble is a huge step, because that greatly improves the bio-availability of the product,” says Alexey Peshkovsky, Ph. D. He’s co-founder, president and chief scientific officer of Industrial Sonomechanics, which specializes in high-intensity ultrasonic technology for liquid treatment. Reliably emulsifying cannabis allows for “reliable dosages, reducing the possible delivery methods to those that are simple, easy, and that everybody is used to,” Peshkovsky adds. In other words: beverages.
Before better emulsification, THC/CBD beverages could not always count on reliable dosages.
“It’s important that these products deliver on their label claims,” says David Durkee, VP of New Ventures at Quicksilver Scientific, which provides nanoemulsion delivery technology. “The industry falls down if consumers do not receive what’s in the beverage.”
Among the products made by Quicksilver Scientific are CBD liquids with additional all-natural ingredients with active benefits. This includes botanicals, melatonin and nutraceuticals.
“We do a wide array of actives,” says Durkee. “Things that help you relax, or make you more alert, or herbal medicines, anti-aging, aging healthfully, and lots of products around detox.”
The technology behind better emulsification is not new.The process comes from the pharmaceutical industry, where it is familiar, but only crossed over into cannabis in the past two-to-three years.
“This industry has not been led by science, so now the science has been catching up,” says Jeffrey Meyer, EVP and COO of Industrial Sonomechanics. “Every industry goes through this process. Think of computers in the ‘80s or cars in the ‘50s: these seminal moments of transition when it becomes a serious industry. That innovation is happening fast now” in cannabis.
This includes the technology behind flavors in cannabis beverages. Marijuana is not necessarily known for a pleasing taste. Blending it into drinks can risk an unpleasant palate.
Thankfully, “the flavor industry has improved greatly,” says Durkee. “With CBD substrate, you can make things flavor neutral, and then you can put whatever you want on top of that.”
What’s next for cannabis technology? How about synthetic compounds. Biomedican is a biotech startup developing a patented process to make pharmaceutical-grade, 100% organic, non-GMO rare cannabinoids. The result is THC/CBD at a fraction of the normal cost, says Biomedican President Dennis O’Neill, and with reliable uniformity.
“We get the same product every time, which is really important when looking at large distribution markets that need consistency,” O’Neill adds. “And we won’t have to worry about whether it has toxins in it, or what the concentration is. Our way is better, safer, cheaper and significantly greener.”
Consumer knowledge of cannabis has come a long way. While some people still do not know the difference between THC and CBD, a fair amount understands the base distinction that one of those cannaboids is psychotropic, while the other is not.
Another point of education comes from a stigma shared with tequila. Many people suffered an unfortunate night in college of taking too many shots, and now as adults hesitate to drink even premium añejo. So, too, is it with cannabis.
“We have to educate people why drinking a cannabis beverage is different than that brownie they tried 10 years ago that absolutely knocked them out,” says Yee of K-Zen.
As cannabis products play into the healthier-for-you trend, the lab testing of THC and CBD remains critical in consumer education.
“This part is extremely important because consumers want to know what they’re putting into their bodies,” says Monat. “Every batch of Rhythm made is run through a Certificate of Analysis test — including potency. We place the results on our website, and also link to the results through a QR code on our cans.”
Late in 2020, the U.S. House of Representatives passed a landmark bill that would have decriminalized marijuana nationwide. The legislation included delisting cannabis as a federally controlled substance, and erasing certain federal convictions connected with the drug. The bill was not picked up by the Senate, still then controlled by Republicans.
Election Day 2020 shifted power in Washington D.C. Democrats now possess the majority in both chambers of Congress, along with the White House. This massive shift has many cannabis professionals feeling optimistic for the future of THC and CBD at the federal level.
However, few people predict major cannabis movement in the U.S. government in the coming months.
“The FDA is pretty busy right now trying to get Covid vaccines distributed,” says Monat of Rhythm. “I don’t see the FDA getting to cannabis in the first half of 2021. Maybe at the back half of 2021 at the earliest, but it is just a matter of time. We already have 30 million CBD users in the U.S.”
“I’d like to see an FDA ruling that defines CBD as a dietary supplement,” he adds. “I think it should be regulated as a vitamin.”
It’s unlikely that Washington D.C. will completely legalize all at once. Rather than a sudden change, the government will likely enact a series of improvements for the U.S. marijuana industry over time.
For instance: currently it’s illegal to conduct cannabis business across state lines. This restricts the scope of distribution for THC/CBD products, and adds another hurdle in their already-difficult production.
“Why shouldn’t states that have legal cannabis be able to conduct business together?” Yee of K-Zen asks rhetorically.
She, like many others in the industry, would welcome greater FDA involvement in defining THC and CBD products.
“Some retailers are squeamish in taking on these products because CBD is still such a grey area,” Yee says. “FDA definition could help mainstream retail companies feel at ease in this space. I’m excited to see the FDA get involved.”
Agreeing with her is Durkee of New Ventures.
“The Wal-Marts and Krogers of the world are not going to take CBD seriously until wider federal legality,” he says.
However, Durkee does not see Democratic majority at the federal level as an automatic slam-dunk for cannabis progress.
“I actually don’t think that Democrats holding power in Washington D.C. necessarily paves the way towards all things becoming legal,” he says. “It’s not necessarily about who’s in charge, but time and awareness. As the level of awareness arises, it raises all boats. More people will understand CBD and THC, including the regulators who ultimately allow it into the marketplace.”
What’s Next for Cannabis Drinks?
The political, social and health crises of the past year — and ongoing — have certainly put many people in the mood for a relaxant.
“We’re all a little stressed of late,” says Johnston of Collective Arts. “That makes CBD and its anti-anxiety affect a great alternative to alcohol.”
Moving forwards, it stands to reason that THC and CBD will continue gaining consumer interest. Simultaneously, the industry will also evolve with better business, laws and technology.
“The industry has come a long, but there’s still a long way to go yet,” says Durkee of Quicksilver Scientific. “We’re still in the middle of the journey.”


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Samsung last month began sending out invitations to its next major press event. Scheduled to take place on June 20th, the Samsung Premiere 2013 GALAXY & ATIV promises that attendees “will be among the first to see the new additions to the GALAXY and ATIV lines.”
Samsung’s event will come on the heels of two other major events, Apple’s WWDC and Microsoft’s BUILD developer conferences.
For those without an invitation or those for which London is a bit too far, Samsung will livestream the event at 1300 ET.
Source : Samsung Tomorrow


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One of the primary causes of car crashes is driver error, or in the terminology of a car accident lawsuit, defendant’s negligence. While we often the use the term accident, many accidents are truly not accidents, but someone’s fault.
However, some accidents are not due to a driver’s fault but are, instead, due to a manufacturing defect in a car, truck, or motorcycle, and some car accidents are the result of negligently performed repairs or routine maintenance at a dealership or private service station. When there is a suspected manufacturing defect, car makers will often send service bulletins to dealerships to be on the lookout for a particular issue. If the defect affects a safety system or other system that is likely to result in a car accident, the manufacturer is required to initiate a recall of all potentially affected vehicles. Some of these recalls are voluntary and others are non-voluntary, as they are ordered by a state or federal agency.
According to a recent news release from Consumer Reports, Ford has now issued a recall on nearly 600,000 vehicles. The largest of these recalls involves the 2013 to 2015 Ford Fusion and Lincoln MKZ sedans as well as the Ford Edge SUV. These vehicles were built with a defective motor attachment for the steering gear. The bolts used on this attachment are susceptible to corrosion, and, once corroded, they have been shown to fracture. After the bolts fracture, the power steering mechanism could fail, and the driver would have to manually control a vehicle without assistance from hydraulics, as was common on cars built before the 1960s. For those who have never driven a manual steering vehicle, it may be difficult for them to physically turn the wheel in time to avoid a serious car accident. At slower speeds such as driving in traffic, it might be practically impossible to turn a modern car through an intersection, thus putting it at risk of being hit by other car.


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Reader Apparel are delighted to announce that from the 23rd October they will be officially launching their online store at www.readerapparel.com!
A number of New York Times and USA Today best-selling authors have been collaborating to create a new company called Reader Apparel which will sell merchandise inspired by the ‘bookverse’. They will have everything from hoodies from fictitious High School Football teams to MC Apparel.
I’m organizing a book blitz to help spread the word on the release of this amazing new bookish store!!
The blitz is on October 23rd, you can post at any time on this day. There will be a launch video, some graphics, and a launch announcement.
An email with the complete post info including promo items and HTML will be sent to all participants a few days ahead!


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The coronavirus pandemic exposed significant weaknesses in the country’s food supply chain. Grocery store meat counters were bare. Transportation interruptions influenced supply. Finding beef, poultry, and pork at the store has been, in some places, as challenging as finding toilet paper.
It wasn’t a lack of supply — millions of animals were in the pipeline.


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Pan-African private equity firm 8 Miles has led an $80 million investment into a Nigerian biscuit company, alongside sub-Saharan focused private equity firm African Capital Alliance and development finance institution DEG.
The minority-stake investment into Beloxxi Industries will help the company expand production and distribution of its products in Nigeria and other African countries, according to a press release.
“The snacks segment is a fast growing part of the consumer sector in Nigeria,” 8 Miles co-managing partner and co-founder Nathan Mintah said in a statement. “Our investment will build on Beloxxi’s strong brand and help accelerate the company’s expansion in Nigeria, in the wider West Africa region and beyond.”
The company’s growth will also demonstrate the potential for Nigerian food manufacturers to operate on a large scale, according to ACA principal and head of FMCG Segun Adebanji. Alongside other investors he also emphasised the investment’s role in creating jobs and building up professionalism in the food manufacturing sector.
Population growth, rising disposable incomes and urbanisation are driving demand for convenient snack products like biscuits and crisps. Sweet and savoury snack businesses in Nigeria are expected to post a compound annual growth rate of 5 percent this year, according to a Euromonitor study.
“The investment will enable us increase our capacity significantly and grow in both our domestic and export markets,” said Beloxxi founder and chief executive Obi Ezeude, adding that the participating investors would help the company adhere to international standards.
Beloxxi, whose products include Nigeria’s highest-selling cream cracker, has grown more than 30 percent a year in recent years, according to the company. It has a production plant in Ogun State and several warehouses across the country.
Both private and public investors have been committing funds to Nigeria’s food sector in recent years.
Last month, alternative asset manager Duet Private Equity and the Asset Management Corporation of Nigeria began raising a distressed and turnaround capital and debt fund for food and drinks businesses in Nigeria.
Meanwhile, the Nigeria Sovereign Investment Authority has committed $100 million to an Old Mutual Investment Group agriculture co-investment vehicle this month, according to local media.
“Nigeria is currently going through a challenging macroeconomic environment. The non-oil sector, which has carried the Nigerian economy for the past several years, failed to do so [in] the first half of the year,” managing director of Duet’s Africa team, Maty Ndiaye told Agri Investor last month. “However sectors such as food and beverages and agro processing are still showing great resilience. We see these sectors as defensive and believe that with the recent currency devaluation the ‘import substitution’ theme will be even stronger in Nigeria.”


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Clarification has been issued following some confusion over free parking in council-operated car parks in December.
In previous years there has been free parking throughout the month, subject to the various time constrictions on the council’s long and short stay car parks.
Over the past few days there has been some confusion from shoppers and conflicting messages on various social media pages over what parking initiatives are in place this month.
Unlike the past two years Wrexham Council is not providing free car parking throughout December – rather to coincide with key events such as the Victorian Market and the new Christmas Village.
The first free parking day of the month was over the weekend to coincide with Small Business Saturday and the opening of Santa’s Grotto.
However there has been criticism from some over the placement of the signs on the pay and display machines advising shoppers of the free parking – with some arguing that the signage was badly placed and insufficient.
Wrexham.com contacted Wrexham Council to find out if such issues will be sorted for the Victorian Market on Thursday.
Cllr David A Bithell, Lead Member for Environment and Transport, said: “We will make sure that the car parks and signed appropriately.”
A council spokesperson also encouraged people to check reliable news outlets for up to date information regarding free parking during this festive season.
So when can you park for free in council operated car parks this month?
– Victorian Market and Late night shopping: Thursday December 6th after 4pm.
The December 6 event also marks the start of free parking for late night shopping which will continue on December 13 and 20 when shops are encouraged to stay open late.
– Christmas Village on Llwyn Isaf: December 14th, 15th and 16th after 10am.
– Christmas shopping week: The final days before Christmas will see parking free after 10am between December 17th and 24th
Spotted something? Got a story? Send a Facebook Message | A direct message on Twitter | Email News@Wrexham.com


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[Funding alert] Consumer foods brand Yu raises $1 million in pre-Series A round
Yu will use this funding round to increase its production capacity to over 5 lakh meal bowls per month and expand the distribution network.
, a consumer food brand that makes preservative-free meal bowls, has raised $1 million in its pre-Series A round of funding from multiple investors.
The round saw participation from Manish Choksi and Varun Vakil, part of the Asian Paints promoter group, Lalvani family, UK based food & hospitality group; Nikhil Srivastava, Head of India at PAG private equity; Vishal Sampat, Founder, Convonix, among others.
Founded by Bharat Bhalla and Varun Kapur in 2020, Yu says it has come out with a range of instant meal bowls that contain zero preservatives, additives, artificial flavourings or colours.
According to Yu, its meals retain their original taste and aroma while having a non-refrigerated shelf life of 12 months.
Bharat Bhalla, Founder & Executive Director, Yu Foodlabs said, “We have combined the most advanced food science technology with culinary arts to re-imagine the future of packaged foods. Our Instant Meal Bowls are packed with gourmet flavours and nutrients while using ZERO preservatives or artificial ingredients.”
These meal bowls are priced in the range of Rs 75-100. Yu has introduced six SKUs across two categories — wholesome pasta bowls and wholegrain oat bowls. It plans to introduce dessert bowls, veg/non-veg Asian noodle bowls and superfood breakfast bowls.
Varun Kapur, Founder & Executive Director, Yu Foodlabs, said, “We have partnered with high pedigree investors with backgrounds in consumer brands, private equity, hospitality, technology and digital marketing. We will use the funds to increase our production capacity to over 5 lac meal bowls per month while expanding our distribution network to key markets across India.”
Yu’s products are available at 100 plus retail outlets across Delhi NCR besides online marketplaces. It is adopting an omnichannel sales strategy and in due course will be present in offline and online stores pan-India.
The brand aims to establish an offline presence in Mumbai MMR, East/ North East by January 2022 followed by all other metro cities in 9-12 months.


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ShipStation and Retail Economics' Ecommerce Delivery Benchmark Report 2024 delves deep into the evolving dynamics of the Australian retail landscape, revealing the next ecommerce frontier.
In a groundbreaking revelation shedding light on the modern Australian consumer’s shopping journey, research conducted by ShipStation and Retail Economics has unearthed the profound impact of physical interactions on ecommerce sales. The report, titled the Ecommerce Delivery Benchmark Report 2024 delves deep into the evolving dynamics of the Australian retail landscape.
According to the findings, a staggering $15 billion, nearly half (48%), of Australian online non-food sales in 2023 were influenced by physical touchpoints. This discovery underscores the growing significance of omnichannel strategies, which seamlessly merge online and offline experiences to cater to the preferences of today’s discerning consumers.
David Boyer, VP, Head of ANZ at ShipStation, emphasised the transformative nature of these findings, stating, “The $15 billion figure paints a compelling picture of consumer behaviour, presenting a significant opportunity for brands to evolve their approach.
“Gone are the days of rigid classifications like ‘online’ or ‘offline’ shopping. Today’s informed consumer seamlessly navigates physical touchpoints like brick-and-mortar stores, social media discovery channels, and even embraces innovative solutions like AI-powered assistants to streamline tedious tasks like delivery and product research. This omnichannel journey is not merely a matter of convenience, but rather an opportunity to forge personalised connections that build enduring brand loyalty.”
The report not only underscores the enduring importance of traditional touchpoints like in-store browsing, but also sheds light on how social media platforms have emerged as the primary arena for product discovery among digital natives, with Gen Z and Millennials favouring platforms like TikTok and Instagram over traditional retailer websites. This shift in behaviour necessitates a recalibration of retail strategies to effectively engage with these demographics on their preferred platforms.
However, amidst these transformative changes, the report highlights the enduring importance of cost sensitivity among Australian consumers, particularly concerning delivery expenses. High shipping costs can deter a significant portion of consumers, with 71% indicating they are less likely to purchase from brands with exorbitant shipping fees, yet 66% are willing to pay for premium delivery services – highlighting the nuances across consumer groups.
Consumers are expressing significant desire for out-of-home returns. 31% of surveyed Australian consumers report a preference for in-store returns and 21% favour PUDO (pick-up/drop-off) locations. The research also reveals a distinct generational divide in the frequency of returns: across markets, Gen Z leads the pack, returning 19% of their apparel purchases on average.
While the debate around free returns persists, 65% of surveyed Australian consumers believe they should be free and not have any associated costs. Notably, across surveyed markets, half of Gen Zs are willing to pay for a quick and hassle-free return, making them three times more likely than Boomers (aged 65+) to do so. Ultimately, returns present a double-edged sword: 40% of surveyed Australian consumers report an inconvenient returns policy as a factor that would make them less likely to shop with a brand in the future. By embracing diverse, in-person return options, adopting a delivery ecosystem to address rising returns, and prioritising transparent policies, retailers can transform this potential churn point into a powerful customer retention tool.
Yet, amidst this challenge lies an incredible opportunity for retailers to turn the tide in their favour. By embracing a spectrum of in-person return options, establishing a robust delivery ecosystem to navigate the surge in returns, and placing transparency at the forefront of their policies, retailers hold the key to transforming this potential source of customer churn into a formidable tool for retention.
Looking ahead, retailers face a myriad of challenges, including rising overhead costs, weak customer demand, and intense competition. In this dynamic landscape, prioritising seamless, omnichannel experiences is imperative for fostering lasting customer relationships and maintaining relevance in an increasingly competitive market.
Richard Lim, CEO of Retail Economics, underscored the importance of understanding and adapting to these shifts, stating, “The retail landscape has demonstrably shifted towards a unified, omnichannel strategy in 2024. The $15 billion figure spent online that is heavily influenced by physical touchpoints underscores the dynamic and multi-faceted nature of the modern customer journey. Convenience and value are paramount across all channels, from product discovery to delivery and returns, leaving no room for friction in the experience.”
“Retailers must understand this evolution and prioritise seamless, consistent customer experiences – regardless of whether customers choose online, in-store, or a hybrid approach. Single-channel strategies struggle to maintain relevance in this fluid environment. Embracing a unified, omnichannel approach unlocks the potential for lasting customer loyalty and reinforces brand relevance in the competitive landscape.”
The Ecommerce Delivery Benchmark Report 2024 provides valuable insights and recommendations for retailers seeking to navigate the complex terrain of modern ecommerce and drive growth in an ever-evolving landscape. Download your copy here.


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Wednesday, September 14, 2016
Grenadier and Microbrute make friends
Published on Sep 14, 2016 SGE
"Grendel Grenadier is being clocked by the square wave LFO of the Arturia Microbrute. Grenadier is driving a JHS Pedals Emperor chorus pedal, then into a Roland RE-20 for delay. Microbrute effect is a Line 6 Echo Pro delay. Both synthesizers are being sequenced internally."


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'Yu-Gi-Oh!' Free Online Games News: The Best Games, Updates: Discount Sales for 'Yu-Gi-Oh!' Duel Links
Konami launched a Ranked Duels revamp celebration event that offers discount sales and various giveaways for "Yu-Gi-Oh! Duel Links."
On Facebook, the game developer revealed that several discount sales and at least 500 Gems will be available as part of the celebration of the upcoming revamp featuring the Ranked Duels.
Players are expected to use this event to upgrade their decks as well as challenge the latest Ranked Duels that will be introduced in the free-to-play smartphone game that was first released worldwide in January.
The "Yu-Gi-Oh! Duel Links" online mobile game was dropped by Konami in celebration of the "Yu-Gi-Oh!" series' 20th anniversary.
According to critical reviews, the "Yu-Gi-Oh! Duel Links" will bring players back to the franchise's roots by lessening some of the currently released advanced cards as well as the game's contemporary summoning techniques. This means players must go back to basics while discovering new ways to enjoy the game.
Other available "Yu-Gi-Oh!" online games that can be downloaded for free include the "Yu-Gi-Oh! Magic and Tactic," "Yu-Gi-Oh! Monster Master," the "Yu-Gi-Oh! Necronomicon 2," and the "Yu-Gi-Oh! Bam."
Meanwhile, "Yu-Gi-Oh!" English anime voice actor Dan Green exclusively explained to ComicBook why the franchise is still successful after all these years.
According to the voice actor who lends his voice to Yugi Moto in the anime series, fans still appreciate the franchise's universal theme that centers on friendship.
"I think because at the very heart of it there's this devotion to friendship - which I know it sounds cliche. They literally state it in the show, but it's a part of it. I think, in particular, those characters are at an age we can all relate to," Green stated. "They're in high school, they're discovering who they are. That can be a very scary time. You don't know if you are going to fit in; You don't know if you are going to be accepted. I think people committing that sense of friendship to each other."


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There will be more than one Game of Thrones adventure game by Telltale Games, says HBO.
The games will be based on the Game of Thrones television series, itself based on George R.R. Martin's fantasy novels.
In a press release, HBO said, “The multi-year, multi-title partnership between Telltale and HBO Global Licensing is targeted to premiere digitally in 2014 with an episodic game series for home consoles, PC/Mac, and mobile devices. Specific platform details are yet to be announced.”
Telltale co-founder Dan Connors added, “Since the very beginning, Telltale’s goal has been to work alongside the most talented and respected forces in entertainment, bringing their worlds to the interactive space as no other game studio can.
“Working with HBO to develop a new game series based on Game of Thrones is a natural fit for our studio. This partnership will create an experience that will captivate the huge, global Game of Thrones audience. It will put them in control of the epic stories of warfare, intrigue, violence and revenge that we know and love.”
The games were teased at the Spike VGX awards last weekend as “a brand new chapter” in the saga of Westeros, and Telltale Connors said his studio would focus on the characters who had the most at stake.
Gameplay will be similar to that in other Telltale titles, but will also feature large battles, Connors added.


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A great research on pet ownership in the UK has just been published by Sainsbury’s and some of the results may surprise you.
19% of UK households have a dog and exactly the same – 19% of UK households have a cat.
It turns out that the most dog-loving UK city is Newcastle where is the highest level of dog ownership in the UK – 41% of households have a dog. While Brighton is the city with the lowest level of dog ownership in the UK – only 14% of households have a dog.
88% of dog owners say that they feel happier and have a better quality of life because of their pets and almost 30% dog owners admit that having a dog helped them overcome depression and loneliness.
The most popular dog name is Max, while the most popular cat name is Poppy.
You can find plenty of interesting info on pet ownership on their website (there’s an interactive map!) and in the infographic below.
*The data is based on research amongst thousands of Sainsbury’s customers around the UK, as well as Sainsbury’s Bank Pet Insurance customers. The findings are therefore indicative, and relate to the breakdown of cat and dog ownership amongst Sainsbury’s customers, and the breeds of dogs and cats they own.
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The iPhone 13 could lose 10 million units this year
Ifengnet Technology News Beijing time on October 13 news,Shares of Apple inc suppliers fell on Wednesday after news that iPhone 13 production could be cut by as much as 10 million units this year because of the chip shortage crisis.
Shares of Japan Display, the screen supplier that gets more than half of its revenue from Apple, fell as much as 5.6 per cent, their biggest drop in two months, and were down 2.78 per cent at press time. Shares of LG Innotek, which supplies camera modules for the iPhone, fell as much as 6.2% today, down 2.59% at press time.
Japan Display fell 2.78 per cent
Shares in Apple's acoustic component supplier Resound Technology have fallen more than 10 percent since Thursday after it issued a profit warning due to supply chain problems.
LG Innotek shares fell 2.59 percent
In addition to Its Asian suppliers, Apple's US suppliers were also affected by the iPhone 13 cutbacks. Broadcom, Texas Instruments, Citaxone, Lingyun semiconductor and others all fell in after-hours trading on Tuesday. (Author/Xiao Yu)
More first-hand news, welcome to download phoenix news client to subscribe ifeng.com technology. For in-depth coverage, search "iFeng Technology" on wechat.


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The Climate Group has called on businesses to help fast-track the uptake of connected LED lighting around the world.
The international not-for-profit says the world’s largest private companies hold the key to millions of dollars of potential energy savings and believes installing LED lighting is the easiest, most immediate action a company can take to lower its carbon footprint and significantly reduce its energy costs.
Along with lighting provider Signify, it suggests a global switch to LEDs across the private sector could generate $94 billion (£70.5bn) in cost savings while avoiding 403 million tons of carbon dioxide emissions.
The organisation has called for all public lighting to be upgraded to LEDs by 2025, with a complete roll out of the technology across the private sector by 2020.
It says it will encourage knowledge sharing and provide guidance to businesses making the switch, help companies overcome challenges and track global progress.
The non-profit also plans to ensure businesses work with governments to deliver on the 2020 goal.
Derek Wright, Global Head of Office and Services at Signify, said: “Connected indoor LED lighting not only achieves unprecedented energy savings, it can facilitate many use cases enabled by Internet of Things.
“Connected Lighting can do so much more enabling users to understand their space utilisation, improve performance, send high bandwidth data, help employees find spaces to work and much more.”


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Get Surrey and Get Hampshire have joined forces with local newspapers up and down the country to launch Local Business Accelerators (LBA), the local media industry’s campaign to boost the best local businesses.
The campaign is fronted by Dragons’ Den star Deborah Meaden.
Organised by Local Media Works, the marketing body for the local press industry, the campaign sees newspapers across Britain join the hunt to find the best local businesses.
The winning business will scoop the LBA national prize of mentoring from campaign ambassador Meaden and free local newspaper advertising to take their business to the next level.
Meaden said: “Since its inception, LBA has consistently demonstrated that local media advertising can accelerate local businesses, energising and invigorating economies.
“That is because people trust local news brands more than any other media, and are much more likely to engage with, and act upon, the advertising within them.
“I am delighted to be fronting LBA once again and would encourage all businesses out there to contact their local newspaper to find out how they can get involved.”
Launched for the first time in 2011 with backing from 500 local papers, LBA has already seen hundreds of businesses accelerated by a combination of free local newspaper advertising and mentoring from business leaders.
LBA 2013 national winner Sophie Jewett, owner of York Cocoa House, said: “My experience of winning LBA has been tremendous, it’s helped me to take my business to another level.
“The advice and personal mentoring support I was able to get from Deborah was invaluable.
“We worked with our local newspaper, The York Press, as part of the prize, it’s helped us to develop the brand and to be able to tell our story to a local audience.
“Since that time we’ve seen a continued marked increase in sales.
“We have really benefited through strong relationships with our local newspapers, and by engaging with their digital platforms it’s given us a great and effective communication with new and existing customers.”
Through our own business awards and unique connections with business communities, local newspapers will find the best businesses in their area aged one year or over and nominate them for a chance of winning the campaign prize.
Interested businesses can contact email@example.com to find out more.
Entries for LBA close on Friday January 29 2016.


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A vintage handwritten spec sheet in which Steve Jobs called the Apple-1 motherboard a “great deal” has failed to sell at auction.
Apple-1 computer and Apple Lisa also went under the hammer. The Apple-1 was expected to reach $250,000 – $350,000. While expensive, that is significantly less than the $905,000 that one Apple-1 sold for in 2014. At yesterday’s auction, the Apple-1 sold for a slightly disappointing $237,500.
- How a Steve Jobs Quote Inspired a Penn State Student to Want to Change the World
- Steve Jobs: 'Technology is nothing'—here's what he said it really takes to achieve great success
- Tim Cook biography looks at Apple vs. FBI — and Cook vs. Steve Jobs
- This singer just won a Grammy for an opera about Steve Jobs. Here's how Utah played a part
- With the closing of Texas' first Apple store, let's remember that Steve Jobs had to be talked into mall locations
- Aerospace jobs bill fails to launch
- Apple reportedly wants to sell subscriptions to HBO, Showtime and more premium channels for $9.99 a pop
- Court settlement: Some Wynn Resorts managers knew of Steve Wynn allegations and failed to investigate
- DealBook Briefing: Will the Jobs Report Lift the Gloom From the Economy?
- Donald Trump's Media Attacks Are 'Right out of a Dictator’s Playbook,' Laurene Powell Jobs Says


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Australia is investigating ways of using its free trade agreement with the United States to prevent technology giants like Apple, Adobe and Microsoft from charging more for gadgets and computer software, according to a senior public servant.
The comments by Department of Foreign Affairs and Trade (DFAT) first assistant secretary Hamish McCormick were made during an IT pricing inquiry hearing in Canberra on Wednesday.
The inquiry is investigating allegations that US technology companies price gouge Australian users. Computers, phones, movies and software often cost local users more to buy despite the rise of internet downloads and the Australian dollar – an issue some tech firms blame on shipping costs, taxes and local wages.
Mr McCormick said Australian trade officials had raised the concerns during negotiations for the Trans-Pacific Partnership (TPP) “a couple of months ago". The TPP is one of the world’s biggest proposed free trade zones and involves Australia, the US and several Asian nations.
The US government is keen for it to succeed because it is vital for a planned “pivot" of foreign policy towards the Asia Pacific region. If ratified, the TPP will become a cornerstone of commerce and cover around 30 per cent of the global economy.
“We’ve raised this [with the US] and said we want to have a discussion about this but it’s not clear what might be possible," he said. “The discussions are ongoing ... and the next round of negotiations are in Auckland next week from December 3 to 12.
“We’ll be trying to identify whether or not there is a set of issues here that we can deal with through the TPP and if there’s a willingness to do anything."
But Mr McCormick also said his department had found no evidence of unfair pricing practices at a national level.
“I don’t see any systematic treatment of ... products to our disadvantage in terms of pricing and I haven’t seen a pattern that would suggest it," he said.
“It may be that trade agreements aren’t an effective means of trying to address this and that it may be outside the scope of what you can do in trade agreements."
The Australian Financial Review